So far no one else has announced intentions to seek the seat.
The incumbent will qualify on May 23 as a Republican in the partisan general election to be held on July 31.
Drane was elected to his first term as chief magistrate in 2008.
Prior to his election, Drane served as chief associate judge from 2006 until his election in 2008. Drane joined the Magistrate Court in December 2000 as an associate judge.
The Magistrate Court handles thousands of actions requiring a judge’s opinion or ruling each year, he said.
“Our goal is simple and two-fold. First, the citizens of Cherokee County deserve the biggest bang for their tax buck and we’re here to make that happen. Second, we have adopted a policy of doing more with less and being good stewards of taxpayer money,” Drane said in making his announcement.
Since 2008, actions requiring a judge’s attention have risen by an average of 10.7 percent every year, while the average taxpayer cost per action has decreased by 18.25 percent each year, Drane said.
“Valuable tax dollars have been returned to the Board of Commissioners from our budget each year and we will strive to continue returning those tax dollars in the future, “ Drane said.
In 2010, Judge Drane introduced the Electronic Warrant Interface System, or EWI, yielding substantial taxpayer savings. The EWI system allows a law enforcement officer to obtain a warrant electronically without having to travel to the courthouse.
“Gas, oil, and other related travel expenses are saved, and the officer can remain in his zone doing police business, which translates into savings for the taxpayer,” Drane said. Since the implementation of EWI in September 2010, almost 3,000 warrants have been taken using the EWI system, saving taxpayers almost $360,000, he said in making the announcement.
Drane earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kennesaw State University, and a law degree from the John Marshal School of Law in Atlanta.
Originally from Savannah, he is married to Cheryl Drane and they live in Canton. They have two children, Jamie, 10 and Rebekah, 6.
He is active in charitable organization throughout Cherokee County. In 2003, the Georgia Bar Association awarded him its annual Justice Benham Community Service Award.
Drane is on the advisory board for the Woodstock Police Foundation, the Cherokee County DUI-Drug Court, and the advisory board for the study of Criminal Justice at Chattahoochee Technical College at the Woodstock Campus, where he also teaches Constitutional Law and Community Policing.
“I look forward to serving the good people of Cherokee County and working with the dedicated men and women of law enforcement to keep our County safe,” Drane said.
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